Chrysanthemum plant named Pink Caricia

ABSTRACT

A Chrysanthemum plant named Pink Caricia particularly characterized by its flat capitulum form; anemone capitulum type; soft purple ray floret color; diameter across face of capitulum of up to 7 cm at maturity, and diameter of anemone cushion of up to 22 mm; uniform eight week photoperiodic flowering response to short days; peduncle length ranging from 8 to 18 cm on open, terminal sprays; medium plant height when grown as a single stem spray cut mum; and excellent tolerance to low temperatures for bud initiation and flower development.

The present invention comprises a new and distinct cultivar ofchrysanthemum, botanically known as Dendranthema grandiflora, andreferred to by the cultivar name Pink Caricia.

Pink Caricia, identified as 84-567D01, is a product of a mutationinduction program which had the objective of creating new Chrysanthemumcultivars that would expand the color range of an existing cultivarwhile retaining all other traits.

Pink Caricia was discovered and selected by Cornelis P. VandenBerg onNov. 17, 1987 in a controlled environment in Salinas Calif. as oneflowering plant within a flowering block established as rooted cuttingsfrom stock plants which had been exposed as unrooted cuttings to anX-ray source of 1500 rads. The irradiated parent was the cultivaridentified as Caricia, disclosed in plant patent application Ser. No.187,654, now U.S. Plant Pat. No. 6,902.

The first act of asexual reproduction of Pink Caricia was accomplishedwhen vegetative cuttings were taken from the initial selection inJanuary 1988 in a controlled environment in Salinas, Calif., bytechnicians working under formulations established and supervised byCornelis P. VandenBerg.

Horticultural examination of controlled flowerings of successiveplantings has shown that the unique combination of characteristics asherein disclosed for Pink Caricia are firmly fixed and are retainedthrough successive generations of asexual reproduction.

Pink Caricia has not been observed under all possible environmentalconditions. The phenotype may vary significantly with variations inenvironment such as temperature, light intensity and daylength.

The following observations, measurements and comparisons describe plantsgrown in Salinas, Calif. under greenhouse conditions which approximatethose generally used in commercial greenhouse practice. The lowtemperature tolerance of the new variety as noted below was determinedin repeated flowerings in Bogota, Colombia.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined tobe basic characteristics of Pink Caricia, which, in combination,distinguish this Chrysanthemum as a new and distinct cultivar:

1. Flat capitulum form.

2. Anemone capitulum type.

3. Soft purple ray floret color.

4. Diameter across face of capitulum of up to 7 cm at maturity, withdiameter of anemone cushion up to 22 mm.

5. Uniform eight week photoperiodic flowering response to short days.

6. Peduncle length ranging from 8 to 18 cm on open, terminal sprays.

7. Medium plant height, requiring two long day weeks prior to short daysto attain a flowered plant height of 90 to 100 cm for year-roundflowerings.

8. Excellent tolerance to low temperatures for bud initiation and flowerdevelopment.

The accompanying photographic drawing shows typical inflorescence andleaf characteristics of Pink Caricia, with the colors being as nearlytrue as possible with illustrations of this type. The color photographis a perspective view of Pink Caricia grown as a single stem cut spraymum.

Of the commercial cultivars known to the inventor, the most similar incomparison to Pink Caricia are the parent cultivar Caricia and theinduced mutation White Caricia, created through the same mutationinduction program as Pink Caricia, and disclosed in applicant's pendingapplication Ser. No. 07/436,029, filed simultaneously with the presentapplication. All traits of Pink Caricia are similar to those of Cariciaand White Caricia, except the color of the ray florets. The color of theray florets of Pink Caricia is significantly darker than the very softpink color of the ray florets of Caricia, while the ray florets of WhiteCaricia are white.

In the following description color references are made to The RoyalHorticultural Society Colour Chart. The color values were determined onplant material grown as a single stem cut spray mum in Salinas, Calif.on July 13, 1989.

Classification:

Botanical.--Dendranthema grandiflora cv Pink Caricia.

Commercial.--Anemone cut spray mum.

INFLORESCENCE

A. Capitulum:

Form.--Flat.

Type.--Anemone.

Diameter across face.--Up to 7 cm at maturity.

Diameter of anemone cushion.--Up to 22 mm.

B. Corolla of ray florets:

Color (general tonality from a distance of three meters).--Light purple.

Color (upper surface).75C to 75D.

Color (under surface).--Almost white, with overcast of 75D.

Shape.--Flat, oblong.

C. Corolla of disc florets:

Color (mature).--155C, with tips of anemone disc florets 6A to 6B. Theanemone florets are not at their fully mature stage in the photograph,with the mature color being visible only at the periphery of certain ofthe discs.

Color (immature).--Closest to 144B to 145A.

D. Reproductive Organs:

Androecium.--Present on disc florets only; scant pollen.

Gynoecium.--Present on both ray and disc florets.

PLANT

A. General appearance:

Height.--Medium; 90 to 100 cm as a single stem cut mum with two long dayweeks prior to short days.

Foliage:

Color (upper surface).--147A.

Color (under surface).--147B.

Shape.--Lobed and slightly serrated.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct Chrysanthemum plant named Pink Caricia,as described and illustrated.